Pakistan and Türkiye to establish new production line to meet growing demand for 155mm artillery shells.

During the IDEAS 2024 defense exhibition in Pakistan, Türkiye’s defense company Repkon and Pakistan’s Wah Industries Limited (WIL) signed an agreement to establish a facility in Pakistan for producing 155mm artillery shell bodies. The facility will have an annual production capacity of 120,000 units and include an explosive filling line to support both domestic military needs and international exports. The production line will also locally manufacture explosives and laser guidance kits.
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Repkon’s international projects include a contract signed in October 2024 with the US Department of Defense to establish 155mm artillery shell production lines in Texas. (Picture source: US DoD)

Wah Industries Limited (WIL), established on November 7, 1958, operates as the commercial entity of Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) and manufactures weapons and ammunition for the Pakistani Armed Forces. It functions as a public limited company and serves as the sole selling agent for POF's civil products, including arms, ammunition, engineering products, and chemical items. Its operations also encompass the production of cartridges, military and commercial garments, and high-rise construction projects. Additionally, WIL holds a stake in the Wah Nobel Group, a multinational organization producing commercial explosives, industrial chemicals, and acetates.

Repkon, founded in 1978 and based in Istanbul, Türkiye, designs and manufactures metal forming machines and provides turnkey production plants. Its technologies include flow forming, shear forming, and hot spinning, enabling the production of components for defense, aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and mining sectors. Repkon's products include artillery shell production lines, turbine and motor parts, vehicle wheels, and precision tubes.

Repkon’s international projects include a contract signed in October 2024 with the US Department of Defense to establish 155mm artillery shell production lines in Texas. The Texas facility, located in Mesquite, is designed to produce 30,000 shells per month and is expected to supply 30% of US-manufactured shells by 2025. Additionally, Repkon secured a $435 million contract to design and construct a TNT production facility in Kentucky, the first domestic production plant for TNT in the United States since 1986. Repkon has also partnered with France’s Bowas Group, which specializes in designing and constructing facilities for civil explosives, military powders, and ammunition disposal. This partnership is part of a broader effort to meet rising global demand for artillery munitions.

As of November 2024, Türkiye and Pakistan continue to strengthen their military and strategic relations through various initiatives. In February 2023, both nations conducted joint military exercises in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, focusing on enhancing interoperability and defense readiness. In April 2024, top military commanders from both countries met to discuss further defense and strategic cooperation, emphasizing military training and defense production. Additionally, in September 2024, Türkiye and Pakistan participated in the multinational naval exercise "Mavi Balina" in the Eastern Mediterranean, aiming to improve anti-submarine warfare capabilities and maritime security.

The agreement between Türkiye and Pakistan also aligns with the increasing global demand for 155mm artillery shells, driven partly by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, where artillery systems are heavily relied upon. The United States plans to triple its monthly output of 155mm shells to 100,000 by 2025, while the European Union aims to produce 1 million shells annually by the end of 2024. Both sides in the conflict have expended millions of shells, prompting countries to ramp up production capabilities.

Amid rising global conflicts, world military spending reached $2,443 billion in 2023, representing a 6.8% increase from the previous year. This increase has driven countries to enhance domestic production capabilities to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly for essential munitions like artillery shells. For instance, Poland has signed agreements with local companies to reestablish its ability to manufacture explosives. In Europe, Germany's Rheinmetall has secured a €9 billion contract to produce 155mm artillery ammunition, reflecting global efforts to increase self-reliance in defense production.